Make a London Fog

A London Fog is an Earl Grey latte: strong black tea scented with bergamot, a little vanilla and a lot of frothy milk. It takes about five minutes, costs next to nothing if you have tea in the cupboard, and it’s a gentle thing to make on a gloomy afternoon.

What to use

Earl Grey is black tea flavoured with bergamot, a citrus fruit, which is what makes it smell floral and a little lemony. A tea bag works, and so does loose leaf if you have it.

For vanilla, a splash of vanilla syrup is the classic, but you can make your own: stir 1 tablespoon of sugar into 1 tablespoon of hot water and add a drop of vanilla extract. Or just stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon of sugar straight into the mug.

Whole milk froths best. Heat it gently and never let it boil.

Make it

For one mug, you’ll need:

• 1 Earl Grey tea bag, or 1 teaspoon loose tea
• 1/2 cup freshly boiled water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla syrup, to taste

1. Put the tea in your mug and pour the hot water over it.
2. Let it steep for 4 to 5 minutes. It should look dark: the milk will soften it.
3. While it steeps, warm the milk in a small pan or the microwave until it’s steaming, not boiling.
4. Froth the milk (see below).
5. Take out the tea and stir in the vanilla.
6. Pour the milk in, holding the foam back with a spoon, then spoon the foam on top.

Froth the milk without a machine

• A jar. Pour warm milk into a jar, fill it no more than half, close the lid tightly and shake for 20 to 30 seconds. The jar will be hot, so hold it with a cloth. Take off the lid carefully.
• A whisk. Whisk the warm milk quickly in the pan until it foams.
• A handheld frother. Hold it just under the surface of the milk until it thickens.

Make a jar of vanilla syrup

If you’ll make these often, a small batch of syrup saves time. Stir 1/2 cup sugar into 1/2 cup water in a small pan, and warm it over low heat until the sugar dissolves, then take it off the heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, and let it cool. Pour it into a clean jar and keep it in the fridge for a couple of weeks. A teaspoon or two is enough for a mug.

Choosing your tea

Different Earl Greys taste different. Some are heavy on the bergamot, and some are mostly plain black tea. If yours is mild, steep it for the full 5 minutes or use two bags. If it’s strong and perfumed, a shorter steep will keep it from tasting soapy. Try a few and keep the one you like.

Make it yours

• A pinch of dried lavender in the steeping tea
• A spoonful of honey instead of syrup
• A little cinnamon on top
• Iced, in summer: pour cold tea over ice, and top with cold frothed milk

What goes wrong

• It tastes weak. Steep the tea longer, or use two bags and the same amount of water.
• It tastes bitter. The tea steeped too long, or the water was too hot for too long. Take the bag out at about 5 minutes.
• The foam disappears. The milk was too hot or too cold. Aim for steaming, not boiling.
• It tastes flat. A little more vanilla, or a tiny pinch of salt, brightens it.
• The milk skins over. Froth it and use it straight away.

Drinking it

Take it slowly. It’s better in a big mug than a small cup, with both hands around it. If you’re having it late in the day, choose decaffeinated Earl Grey. It’s also lovely with a cinnamon roll on the side.

Make it a winter afternoon

Make one at four o’clock, when it’s already getting dark, and take it to the window with a book. It’s a small ritual that costs almost nothing, and it makes an ordinary afternoon feel a little slower.